Contbol mechanism



Aug. 14, 1928. 1,680,808

c. scHUTz CONTROL MECHANI SM Filed Dec. 27, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet l I I III I Illlll T Indenigf'f Y COrzrad Schag,

Aug. 14,1928.

c. scHUTz CONTROL MECHANI SM Filed D66, 27, 1923 "'5 Sheets-Sheet .17: z enl orz- CO nr'ad Sch-car} Aug. 14, 1928.

c. scHiJTz CONTROL MECHANI SM 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed Dec: 27, 1923 1710671507: Conradchicl j 61201 way.

, C. SCHUTZ CONTROL MECHANISM 7 Filed Dec. 27, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 IruJenZOf'Tfl 3 Conrad 80128 135 Aug.14,'1928. I, 1,680,808

' C. SCHUTZ CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Dec. 2v, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 77 Conrad 60%:

Patented 14,

UNITED STATES CONRAD BCE'UTZ. F PENHSYLvm ABSIGiNOB AT NTFQFF-ICEL r0 nramtmi MANUFACTURING COMPANY, COBPQRATION OF DELAWARE.

, Application at nmmbe aaiaas. semi xa ebassi.

My invention i primarily designed to provide means for effecting the control of mech anisms comprised in or ancillary to fabricating machines, but it is applicable to various uses where power is to be transmitted at predetermined periods. My improvements are particularl applicable to fabricating machines, (suc as full fashioned hosiery knitting machines) having mechanism for varying the fabricating effect, (such as mechanismfor narrowing'the hosiery fabric). When applied to such machines, my imrovements automatically stop the fabricatmg machine and also automatically control the varying mechanism at predetermined times.

' whic cam on the machine to transmit power through the reciprocable member to throw [the slide tend to shaft it out of the path of In the form in which I prefer to embody my improvements, there is provided a reciprocable power transmitting member connected with switch, belt shifter or the like, hereinafter referred to as the wer controller, and Erovided with a mova le contact block, may be positioned in the path of a,

the switch or belt shifter. The ositioning of the block is controlled by a s ide which is reciprocable into and out of thepath of a catch on the power transmitting member and,

a link on the block. a Springs connected with the catch and link; the slide being shifted intosuch' path by means of an automatically disengaging hook. The slide is secured in its engaging position by a latch or trig er,

which-is retracted through cams on a; isk or rot-atablebody controlled by speed reducing apparatus driven from the machine. Upon the retraction of the trigger, the slide is drawn b its springs against the peripher'yjof the isk which contains slots adjacent y to the disk cams. When the rotation of the disk brings a slot in its periphery into registration with the slide, the latter is further moved by its springs out of the path of the link and catch, and the contact block is dropped into osition for engagement with a cam driven y the machine, which thereupon shifts the power transmitting member to operate the power controller. When the movement of the slide is manually reversed through the automatically disengaging hook, the catch on the power transmitting. member slips past the slide and locks the member, while the end of the link engages the slide cess, it is shifted out of such recess and onto the peripher of the disk by a spring pressed 65 slide contro 'ed'by further cams driven from the speed reducing apparatus.

The characteristic features and advantages of my improvements will more full appear from the following description 0 4 a preferred embodiment and application of my invention, and the accompanying drawings in illustration thereof. In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional 1 view of a full fashioned knittin machine '75 having my control mechanism applied thereto; Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of an end ofsuch knitting machine, with my control mechanism in position; Fig. 3 is an enlarged front view of my control mechanism detached from the knitting machine- Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the cont-roi mechanism, together with the cams and a section of the knitting machine cam shaft; Fig. 5 is an enlargedldetached view of the control mechanism and cams from the side opposite that shown in Fig. 1, parts being" omitted for the sake of clearness; Fig. 6 is a vertical section-0n line 6, 6 of Fig. 3 on en larged scale; Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view of the same mechanism on line 7, 7 of. Fig. 4; Fig. 8 an enlarged top plan view on the plane of section line 8, 8 of-Fig. 3 of the stopping mechanism with parts omitted for the sake of better illustration; Fig. 9 is a top plan view, taken from the rear, of 4 the mechanism for controlling the narrowing or varying mechanismof the machine, and Fig. 10 is an elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 9. 100

As illustrated in the drawings, m improved control mechanism is applie to a full fashioned knitting machine of usual construction (Figs. 1 and 2) comprising a frame consisting of end members or legs A, rafters B and C and beds D and E. A shaft F is journ'alled in bearings in the legs A and has fiked thereto suitable cams whereby the mechanisms involved in the knitting operations are controlled. shaft F has fixed Ill! on the end. thereof a gear G through which i ower is transmitted from a pinion H on the hand wheel shaft 1. The shaft I has fixed Qtthereto' the'usualihand wheels I for affect- "ing manual rotation of the shaft I, which,

however, is normally driven through anend vand efi'ect the automatic control of the stopgear J meshing with the pinion K of an electric motor L. The current suppl ed to the motor iscontrolled-by a switc box M from which projects'a control lever N linked to the .reciprocatory control rod 0 which-- slidesinbearings O of the machine frame. The cam' sha ft F also has connected therewith suitahle'cam mechanism P for rocking the awl Q, into engagement with the ratchet teet R of the chain wheel S to advance such chain wheel. one step for each revolution of the maincam'shaft. The wheel S translates the chain T having thereon buttons T which 9 engage the lever U to release the catch V and permit movement of the cams W and X for operating the narrowing mechanism of the knittingmachine."

- In the usual operation'of hosiery-knitting machines of the ty illustrated, it.1s necessary for the operative manually to (1) stop the machine when sufiicient courses have 5 been knit to form a fabric of the length desired for forming the double top orwelt to a permit the welt to be turned by means of the welting bar: (2) to manually bring the narrowing'mechanism into operation to narrow the upper leg: (3) to again manuallystog 'fthe machine to permit substitution of sil I for'the cotton yarn commonly used for the ..upper art of the -stocking; (4) to again manua y bring the narrowin mechanism into operation to narrow the c f of the leg '(5) to again manually stop the machine to rmit the insertion of the additional yarn oriormingthe high heel: (6) toagain manually sto the machine for the formation; of the heel ta s: (7 fto again manually bring the narrowing mec anism into operation fornarrowingthe heeltabs; and (8) to again I manually pletion of the stocking leg. Q

the stopping of the machine and the acme-1 tion of the narrowing. mechanism at'improper times,"with' resulting waste of material and the production of hosiery having irregular sections and irregular lengths, thereby necessitating careful sorting to secure approximately evenly matched pairs.

A leading object of my invention is to provide means whereby the stopping 'ofthe knitting machine and the actuation of the narrowing mechanism are ,automatically effected, at predetermined intervals, after the knitting of fabric sections of desired length; provision bein made for compensating for variations in t e thread,particularly silk, due to changes of 'climaticconditions and jupon-the rafter B (Figs. 1, 2, 3) struts 1' having hinged to the-other end thereof a stop the machine upon the com: p

Inattentionor inefiiciency on the part of joperativesfin' charge of machines results in 1ward the shaft F by a spring 21, and have the length of fabric knitted therefrom. By the use of my improvements, stockings of constant uniformity are produced, with resulting economy and avoidance of necessity for matching. To accomplish] the foregoing desiderata I page and of the narrowing mechanism of the knitting machine illustrated, I mount which supporta table 2 provided with a .-vertical standard'3. A lever 4, fulcrumed on the standard 3, has its upper end disposed between the collars 5 on the control rod or shift-element 0, while its lower end lies in the path of a bracket 6 carried by the sliding bar 6 reciprocable in the table ways 2a.

The bracketfi is connected by the pivoted adjustable link 7 with a quadrant plate 8 fulcrumed on the bearing 2b on the table. (Figs. 3, 4, 8). The quadrant has pivotally' connected therewith one end of a slide bar 9, reciprocable in the table bearings 20, and

on contact block or shoe 10. An arm 11, projecting from the shoe, has pivoted thereto a link 12- (Figs. 4, 5) whereby the contact block may be elevated out of the path of a cam 13 on the shaft F, which transmits as power through the block 10 and connected parts to rock the lever 4 when the block 10 is in lowered position. In other words, the reciprocating mechanism which communi-. cates movement from cam 13 to lever 4, includes the slides 6 and 9 and the block 10. Y A cam-14, fixed on the cam shaft F, is proloo .vided with a shoulder 14 which, on each revolution" of the shaft, 9 contacts with a roller 15' 'journalled between the arms .15 of a bell crank fulcrumed on the table bearmg 2d. The arms 16 of this bell crank con-f tam slots 16 in which are adjustably fixed bearings 17 havin links 18, 18 pivotally connected therewit The links 18, 18' are ivotally connected with the arms 19, 19'

ournalled loosely on-a shaft 20 journalled m a bearing 2e on the table 2.

- The arms 19, 19' are normally drawn to- 11b pivoted thereto the pawls 23, 23', which are has journalled therein a finger piece or wing nut 26 provided with the diametrical arms 27, 27 connected by the slottedlinks 28, 28' with the pawls 23, 23. By rocking the member 26, the pawls are respectively rock ed into and out of position for engaging the ratchet teeth 29, 29 of the respective ratchet wheels 30,30 which are fixed to the shaft 20 and controlled by the friction brake pieces 22.

The ratchet teeth on the'wheels 29, 29 dif- 130 for in number and length so that throwing one or other of the pawls 23, 23 intov engagement with its corresponding ratchet after explained. may be fixed to the shaft shaft 34 above the fixed to ashaft 34 mounted in a bearing 2f of the platform 2. A disk 36, fixed to the positioned adjacent to the In 37.v (Figs.- 3, 4, 6).

. A post 39 an block 40, fixed to the table 2, rovide a guideway for the lower end of.

a s ide 41, which is reciprocable transversely to the direction of, reciprocation of the slide 9. A keeper 43, fixed to the standard 39,

projects through a slot 42 in the slide 41 and as coiled thereon a spring 44 provided with a looped end 45 engaging the pin 46 on the slide plate 41, where 'y the latter is main- -tained .in vertical position and normally urged toward the left, as shown in Fig. 7. A coiled spring 47 .is also connected Wlth ,the slide plate 41 and anchored to a post 48 to supplement "the action of the spring 44.

' The slide' bar 9 has pivoted thereon a spring pressed latch 49, the end of which engages the slide plate 41 when the slide bar 9 1S advanced toward the shaft F and the slide 41 ismoved to the right against the resistance of the springs 44 and 47. In such position of the parts, the hooked end 12' of the link 12 engages the slide 41 so as to elevate the contact block. The slide 41 is translated toward the right (Fig. 8) against the resistance of the springs 44 and 47 by a hook 50 normally pressed by a spring 50 into engagement with a tooth or stud 51 on the slide 41. This book 50 is ivoted ona slide 52 reciprocable in the gui eway 40 of the. block 40 and is disengaged from the tooth 51 b the-engagement o a cam shoulder 53 wit a stud'54 on the block 40. The

movement of the hook is limited by a pin 55.

The hook 50 has pivotally'connected with the end thereof a link sea. which is pivoted to the end of a lever 56 fulcrumed on'the pivot 2h. The oppositeend of the lever "56 1s slotted bar 6. v r

When the slide plate 41 has been shifted to theri ht by the mechanism just described,

it is latc ed in such osition by a trigger 57 whichslides throng the post 39 into the path of said slide plate. This trigger is normally pressed forward into position for em gaging the slide plate by a link 58 fixed on a shaft 59. A spring 59 is anchored to this '36 and has a finger 64 adapted gear 33, has depending. .therefrom cams or lugs 37 and contalnsperipheral slots or recesses 38 and ad ustably connected with the Shaft and to the bite 2 and tends to turn;

the shaft and press the trigger inward.

A dog 61, mounted on a pivot 62' adjust.- ably connected with a bracket '62 project ing from the post 39, is normally pressed up-- ward toward the disk 36 by a spring 63. The dog 61 has a cam tooth 61 which is adapted for engagement with the -lugs 37 on the disk ment with the ger57.- a

A disk is fixed to the lower portion of the shaft 34 and contains the peripheral recesses 71, 71 and 71" eral curved segments 72,

inclined face 57' of the tug- 72 and 72". A

with cams 74, 74' and '74 separated by curved peripheral segments 75, -75' and 75";

' A frame 76, fixed to thestruts -1,-1, has a projournalled therein -a shaft 77 havin jecting arm 78 to which is ivota ly con-- nected a link 79. The link 79 1s reciprocable through a bearing 79(' into en agement with the. pawl. Q, WlllCll is there y disengaged from the ratchet R,to prevent the action for-enga espaced by the periphplate 73, fixedto the disk'70, is provided of the narrowing mechanism. When the 1 link 79 is moved awa tion of the narrowing mechanism. The shaft 77 is rocked aboutits axis by an arm 80 fixed to the shaftand having a finger 81 which rides on the periphery of the disk 70.

has fixed thereto an arm 83, provided with a finger 84 which rides'on of the plate 73. The arm is end of a spring 85 coiled on the shaft82 and anchored to'the post 86'. A slide 87 is com 7 nected with the arm 83 by a pintle 88 and is guided beneath the disk 70 by the guides 89 on a bracket 89.

- In the operation of the knitting machine, the control bar 0 is shifted to the left (Fig.

2) to operate the controllenshown in the present example, as the switch in the box M to turn olfthe current and stop the machimzf and to the rightto turn on the current an start the machine, The lever 4-and rod O are so connected by the collars 5 that the 1115 movement of one effects movement of the other.-

With the mechanism in the position shown in Figs. 1,4, 5 and 8 of the drawings, and the'knitting machine operating, it will be' observed that the slide bar 9 is advanced .toward the shaft F and is held in this ad- A shaft 82, journalled in the frame 76, f I

100 the periphery engaged by an from the'pawl Q, the spring P moves tepawl' into engagement with the ratchet R'to effect the actuavanced position by the engagement of thecatch 49 with the slide 41, which is in its extreme right handposition, where it is heldby the engagemep: of the trigger 57. The contact block 10 elevated by the engagement of the link 12 with the slide 41 so that the cam 13 on the shaft F may rotate without engaging the contact block;

.The revolution of the shaft F causes the shoulder 14' on the cam 14 to rock the crank arms 15 and, through the crank arms 16, 16' and links 18, 18, to advance the arms 19, l9. The handle 26 having been turned to bring either the pawl 23 or the pawl 23' into position to engage the ratchet teeth 29 or 29. each rotation of the shaft F acts through the intermediate mechanism to rotate the shaft 20 one step. The length of such step is dependent upon whether the pawl 23 engages the ratchet teeth 29 or whether the pawl 23 engages the ratchet teeth 29. This variability in the step by step movement is provided to compensate for the difference in the thread .in wet and dry weather. In'wctweather, silk particularly tends to stretch and hence a greater number of courses are required to knit a fabric of a given length, while in dry weather a fewer number ofcourses will knit a fabric of-the same length. Hence as it is desired that the machine be stopped after a fabric of predetermined length has been knitted, the operation of the stop mechanism is adjusted by means of the pawls to compensate for the different number of courses required to knit a fabric of given length under different climatic conditions.

The rotation of the shaft 20 acts throu h the worm 32 and worm wheel 33 to rotate t e shaft 34 and disks 36 and 70. The rotation of the disk 36 brings one of the lugs '37, into position to engage the inclined ortion of tooth 61 of the dog 61, which is t ereby depressed so that the finger 64, acting on the mclined surface 57 retracts the trigger 57 to release the slide 41 therefrom. e ed e of the slide 41 thereupon engages the perip ery of the disk 36 and is he 6. against the ful action of its springs 44 and 47 vuntil a slot 38 in the periphery of the disk 36 comes into registration therewith. The slide 41 is then immediately thrown by its springs 44 and 47 to the left (Figs. 2, 7) so as to disengage the member 12 and the catch 49. The disengagement of the member 12 permits the contact block 10 to drop into the path of the cam 13. Upon the next rotation of the shaft F, the cam 13 pushes back the slide 9 which acts through the quadrant 8 and link 7 to rock the lever 4 which acts through the rod 0 to stop the machine. To a ain start the machine, the operator manua ly shifts the rod 0 in the reverse direction, which acts through the collars 5, lever 4, bracket 6', link 7 ,and quadrant 8 to advance the slide 9. Simultaneously therewith the bar 6 is operated by th v bracket 6' to rock the lever 56, which, throu h the link 50 rocks the hook 50. The hoo 50 engages the tooth 51 of the slide 41 and moves it toward the right into the path of the overturned end 12 of the member 12 and into the ath of 'the catch 49 on the slide 9. The catc being {ieldingly mounted, slips past the slide 41 at as soon as it has done so its spring turns it into position in front of the'slide 41, thereby keeping the slide 9 advanced. The engagement of the end 12 with the shde 41 causes the contact block 10 to be turned on its hinge upward out of the path of the cam 13, when the slide 9 is advanced. When the slide 41 has been moved sufficiently to the right, the trigger 57 is projects by its spring into the path of the slide, and thereupon the hook 50 is moved further to the right so that its shoulder 53 contacts with the stud 54, whereby the hook is rocked on its pivot out of engagement with the tooth 51, so that the slide 41 is in position to be releasedwhen the trigger 57 is again retracted by the engagement of a lug 37 with the tooth 61. The movement of the book 50 is limited b the pin 55.

During tlie operation of the knitting machine, the disk is rotated by the speed reducing apparatus throu h the shaft 34. During the knitting of fabric of normal width, the finger 81 rides on a peri heral segment 72, 72 or 72" so that thero 79 is he d in position to maintain the pawl Q, out of engagement with the ratchet on wheel S thereby rendering inoperative the-narrowin mechanism. When, however, the finger 8% drops into a recess 71, 71' or 71" the pawl Q, is shifted b its spring P into engagement with the rate et on the chain wheel to actuate the narrowing mechanism. During the period the finger,81 is in the recess 71, 71 or 71" the finger 84 rides ona peripheral segment'75, 75 or 75", thereby retracting the slide 87. As soon as the finger 84 reaches the end of the segment on which it is riding, it drops down over the adjacent cam 74, 74 or 74, whereupon the spring 85 rocks the arm 83, which shifts the slide to move the finger 81 out of the recess 71, 71' or 71" and on to a peripheral segment 72, 72' or 72", where it rides during the narrowing of the fabric.

While I haye described a specific form and apghcation of my improvements, it is to be un erstood that my invention is not limited to the'specific form or use described.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. An automatic control for fabricating machines, comprising a power controller, a shift element for operatin the same, a lever for operating the shift e ement, a reciprocating mechanism and a cooperating cam for actuating the lever, said reci rocating mechanism having an element a opted to move into and out of the path of the cam, and means comprising a isc rotating synchronously with the machine and provided with penp eral recesses and means cooperating therewith for rendering the cam actuation ineffective during predetermined eriods.

2. An automatic control for abricating machines, comprising a power controller, a shift element for operating'the same, a lever adapted to operate and to be operated by the shift element, a reciprocating mechanism adapted to actuate and to be actuated by the lever, an actuating cam for cooperating with the reciprocating mechanism, said reciproeating mechanism having an element adapted to move into and out of the path of the cam, and means comprising a disc rotating synchronously with the machine and provided with peripheral surfaces and recesses and means including latching and releasing devices cooperating with said peripheral surfaces and recesses for rendering the cam actuation inetfective during predetermined periods. s

3. Automatic control for fabricating machines, including narrowing mechanism, comprising a power controller, means for actuating said controller at predetermined intervals, and means operating synchronously with the machine, including a rotating element provided with recesses and engaging peripheral surfaces, means for operating the narrowing mechanism, and means for establishing operative relationship between said rotating element and said operating means for controlling the narrowing mechanism.

4. Automatic control for fabricating machines, including narrowing mechanism, comprising a power controller, means for actuating the controller at predetermined intervals, and means operating synchronously with the machine, including a disc having peripheral recesses and spaced peripheral curved segments, and a plate attached thereto having cams separated by curved peripheral segments, and a pawl and ratchet mech anism, and means for establishing operative relationship between said disc and late and said pawl and ratchet or contro ing the narrowing mechanism.

5. In an automatic control for power driven fabricating machines, the combination of a rotatable disk, means operating synchronously with the machine, for rotating the disk, a plurality of detent engaging elements, secured to the disk in requlred spaced relationship and adjacent its perip'hery, a cooperating detentf and mechanism controlled by the detent for controlling the power.

6. In an automatic control for--power driven fabricatin tion of a rotatab e disk, means including a pawl and ratchet and a reducing gear, operating synchronously with the machine, for rotating the disk, a plurality of detent engagin elements securedto the 'disk in require spaced relationship and adjacent its periphery, a cooperating detent, and mechanism controlled by the detent for control- .ling the power,

machines, the combina-,

7. In an automatic control for power driven fabricating machines, the combination of a rotatable disk, means for causing a step by step rotative movement of the disk including a reducing gear operating synchronously with the machine, for rotating the disk, a plurality of detent engaging elements, secured to the disk in required spaced relationship and adjacent its periphery, a cooperating detent and mechanism controlled by the detent for controlling the power.

8. In an automatic control for power driven fabricating machines, the combination of a power controller, .a rotatable disk, means including a reducing gear, operating synchronously with the machine, for rotating the disk, a plurality'of detent engaging elements secured to the disk in required spaced relationship and adjacent its eriphery, a cooperating detent, and nice anism controlled by the detent for operating the power controllen,

9. Means for effecting the control; of power driven fabricating machines, comprising means automatically to stop'the fabricating machine to control or vary the fabricating eflect,'including-a rotatable body provided with cams secured to the body in spaced relationship adjacent its periphery, a pivoted element cooperatin withthe cams and mechanism controlled, y the pivoted element for controlling the power.

power driven fabricating machines, comprising means automatically to stop the fab- 10. Means for effecting the control of i ricatingmachine to control or vary the fabricatingelfect, including a rotatable body, a pawl and ratchet and reducing gears for rotating the body synchronously with the machine, said body provided with cams secured to the body in spaced relationship adj acentiits periphery, a pivoted element cooperating with the cams and mechanism controlled by the pivoted element for controlling the power. 1

11. Means for effecting the control of power driven fabricatin ricating machine to control or vary the fab ricating efiect, lncluding a rotatable body means including a speed reducing gear driven from themachine for rotating the bod saici body provided with cams secured.

I machines, comprislng means automatical y to stop'the'fab- 12. An automatic control for power driven fabricating machines, comprising a power controlling shift element, a lever for operating the shift element a rotatable disk and means for operating the same synchronously with the machine, cam elements socured to the disk in required spaced rela 14. In an automatic control for knitting machines, the combination with an electric motor for driving the machine and a switch for controlling the motor, a rotating body, means, 0 crating synchronously with the machine or rotating the body, cams secured to the body in spaced relationship and adjacent the periphery of the body, and means controlled by said cams for operating the switch.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 25 my name this 22nd day of December, 1923.

CONRAD soHUTz. 

